Bill lets boroughs spend money on tourism marketing

State Rep. Jim Whitaker, R-Fairbanks, said in places such as Fairbanks where a first-class city exists within a second-class borough, current state law doesn't let the borough contribute bed tax money to tourism marketing.

The law requires borough taxes to be spent on general administrative costs and areawide functions only. House Bill 24 would clarify that the borough can spend money on tourism marketing, Whitaker said. It would apply to about 11 boroughs.

''It's allowing local governments to make a determination on how their local taxes should be spent,'' Whitaker said.